The latest Chinese carmaker to set up shop here will open its doors before the end of the year with official confirmation from the Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Co. - more commonly known as GAC - that it will enter the New Zealand market, with a launch scheduled for December 2025.
GAC is the fifth-largest automobile company in China and the fourth-largest manufacturer of PHEVs in China, selling more than 2.1 million vehicles in 2021. It owns the Aion, Hycan, and Trumpchi brands, and its joint ventures include GAC-Toyota, GAC-Honda, and GAC-Mitsubishi.
It also owns Hyptec, Aion's luxury brand that also happens to build the ferocious 900kW/1230Nm SSR electric supercar.
The company says that, similar to fellow Chinese carmaker GWM, all models will be marketed in New Zealand under the unified GAC nameplate. The new brand will debut with three models, offering petrol, battery electric (BEV), and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains.
The Aion V is a mid-size electric SUV that will lead the local launch. Packing a 150kW motor and a 75kWh LFP battery supplied by CATL with up to 510km WLTP range, the Aion V is roughly RAV4-sized and shares its underpinnings with the Chinese-market Toyota bZ3X.
The GS3 Emzoom is compact petrol-powered SUV sold under the Trumpchi brand in China. It is powered by a 125kW/270Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The M8 people mover is also a Trumpchi in its home market, and is a luxurious seven-seater that is powered by a 274kW/630Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain. Its 25.57kWh battery provides up to 106km of electric-only range.
GAC says it has plans to expand its New Zealand lineup with three additional models in 2026, and final specifications and pricing of the first wave of vehicles will be released closer to the December launch.
